Where Are They Now: Nancy Price

As we celebrate our fifth anniversary, we look back at some of the neighborhood’s favorite daughters and sons. Writer Andi Agnew profiles Nancy Price, first interviewed by Find It In Fondrenâ„¢ in November 2012.

From humble beginnings as part of Interiors Market to its current location, Nancy Price Interiors has been a mainstay in the Fondren community for nearly 20 years. In recent years, the shop has seen a growth in interest with antiques and original artwork, drawing in more than just the average interior design client. “We have seen an influx of even more original pieces and antiques that we’ve been importing. We’ve had a great response to our antiques – it’s such a big part of our design aesthetic,” says Nancy Price. “I’ve seen that part of our business really come into its own – we’ve always had original pieces, and I’ve actually been importing them myself for the last several years. It’s made a big difference to antique buyers – we’re selling antiques all over… not only in our gallery, but we are also part of a national website called The Highboy.” Nancy Price Interiors features original art from several regional artists, such as Kelly O’Neal from Texas, Alexis Walter from New Orleans and Tina Steele-Lindsey from
Georgia.

Price searches the world over for just the right pieces. This fall, customers can expect to find antiques and original artwork from Europe. “I just got back from Europe and bought an entire body of work from an artist who passed away (German artist Paul Peterson). We not only got his collection, but we were fortunate enough to purchase the prototypes of posters that he hand-painted for an exhibition. We’ve established a relationship with a major collector in Europe, who has everything from modernistic abstract to old masters pieces, and some of those will also be arriving this fall,” Price says.

When asked how she feels her business has contributed to the overall success of the Fondren area, Price says, “We’re so committed to Fondren; we’ve been here for so long. The relationships that are built between other store owners here, the residents and the customers, that is such a big part of who we are. We try to contribute by being involved in the different events that go on here. Keeping the doors open for Fondren’s First Thursdays and Fondren Unwrapped… it’s just paying attention; being in the moment of what’s going on in this area.”

Nancy Price Interiors is notorious for having one of the best spreads at events like Fondren Unwrapped – including their signature Bellinis. “We have had Bellinis since we opened the doors, and we will always have Bellinis,” Price declares. “One time the Bellini machine broke the day of the event, and so we hand-mixed Bellinis because we had to have them! That’s endearing to me… I love that people remember that from the very first time they came here for one of those events.”

Twenty years ago, Price could not imagine the incredible renaissance that Fondren would experience, but she knew there was something special about the place. “I had this amazing sentiment about the area; this heartfelt feeling about what this area represented – it was unlike anything else in Jackson, or anywhere, to me. I knew that, for the type of business that I was interested in doing, this just felt like the right place for us, and it still does today. I can’t imagine ever being anywhere but in Fondren. We’ve seen businesses come in and out, but the commitment of the people who are here for the long haul, like myself – it’s still very much intact and very passionate. You can’t recreate what we have here. You can feel it when you’re here in
Fondren. It’s been a constant, but it’s also been an evolution. It’s been fun to be a part of and to watch.”